680 comments

please people, be smart at the next election and actually inform yourselves instead of being mesmerized by the three word slogans...

Commenter

perplexed

Location

nsw

Date and time

May 14, 2014, 7:33AM

anyone who voted TOO HARD above is deluded. Labor left the country in a mess. Libs have to fix it fast or we'll end up like Greece.

It seems many don't get it.

Commenter

ian

Date and time

May 14, 2014, 8:22AM

"Gillard come back" (Voters)

"One Term Toney" (Backbenchers)

A Mad Man (Paul Sheehan)

Tough and Nasty (Gittens)

Axe Toney's Tax (Pensioners)

Sold my Arse (Abbott)

Commenter

Axis

Date and time

May 14, 2014, 8:27AM

Just heard the alternative in Shorten on the radio.He thinks the country as left by Labor was in great shape!

Commenter

egd

Date and time

May 14, 2014, 8:27AM

For some, it’s unforgiveable that Hockey has broken 2013 election promises – for others, it’s unforgiveable he didn’t break more 2013 election promises. In my opinion, breaking promises is the lesser of two evils.The choices: Don’t break promises and squib on the ‘structural adjustments’ required; Break promises and start addressing our considerable economic woes (we can debate the most appropriate description of our economic state).Unsurprisingly, a budget is best judged on its impact over time (not just the ‘here and now’):The benefit to the economy; How it assists people (in particular, the vulnerable and less well off). Politicians have noticed that people say one thing but often mean another; people say they want politicians to be honest about what they intend to do once in power – and then punish politicians who say things they don’t want to hear; people don’t want to accept that bitter medicine lies ahead.If Australia has to deal with another economic tsunami like the GFC (even if less severe), it could really knock us around - we are no longer in such great shape; our economic flexibility is greatly diminished. How would people already struggling then cope?There is no time to lose - in addressing these issues; what world economic storms lie ahead?

Commenter

Howe Synnott

Location

Sydney

Date and time

May 14, 2014, 8:30AM

You've got that right perplexed, this budget is a disaster compiled by lies and broken promises, I look at as "The Budget That Created A Crime Wave"

Mark my words this budget will go down in history as “The Crime Wave Budget” Abbott and Hockey have savaged the most disadvantaged in this country, the unemployed youth, those with disabilities, and pensioners, those with disabilities and pensioners won’t cause to much grief with the crime wave but those under 30 that haven’t got enough money to survive on and those under 25 that won’t be eligible for the dole but will be on a youth allowance will have no choice but to rob and steal just to survive, if this legislation gets through parliament Abbott better be prepared to build more gaols because he’s going to need them to lock up our youth that are robbing and stealing just for the privilege to feed and clothe themselves.

This budget is a disaster to the poorest, most vulnerable, and disadvantaged in this country, and it will come back to bite through a crime wave

Commenter

Bushy

Location

Cressy

Date and time

May 14, 2014, 8:31AM

I was really impressed that Sarah Ferguson asked a couple of inconvenient questions. The two that resonated most with me were the first one, where Hockey was rendered speechless about breaking promises made just before the election, and the second was that they were bullying the States into having to beg for an increase in GST.

If the GST increases during the Abbott government, remember people, that it was caused by Abbott and is not the States fault.

Commenter

Tone

Location

Melbourne

Date and time

May 14, 2014, 8:31AM

Ian,

I suppose in your mind its' OK for the deluded to be those facing the cuts or cost increases.

Just explain to me the logic (apart from party dogma) of disallowing people benefits and at the same time expecting them to pay more for prescriptions and actually seeing the doctor.

People who can afford to pay a doctor for a consult book an appointment, turn up and pay.

Those that cannot (and I might point out, tend to use the services of a doctor more than someone who pays because lets be honest, the long term ill, infirm, disabled, or elderly tend to have more medical issues than the normal working age tax payers) are prepared and do sit there for hours to see a bulk billing doctor simply because they cannot afford not to.

So 6 months with no money for the unemployed under 30.

And pray tell how are they going to be able to afford to pay a doctor they have no money to pay, or the additional prescription costs on medicines they simply cannot afford.

In examples yesterday (and I know they are not exact just illustrations), the ABC 7:30 actually demonstrated people on 180K paying less than the additional cost being impacted on those receiving benefits, circa 2.5K per year.

Now that is not SHARING THE BURDEN.

Commenter

Joe the POM

Location

Geelong

Date and time

May 14, 2014, 8:37AM

Basically a sound response to an unsustainable blowout, if the 'progressive' reality deniers can't handle it, thats their problem, in two years time the electorate will get to pass judgement.

Commenter

SteveH.

Date and time

May 14, 2014, 8:37AM

Here! Here! Fellow Australians get your cricket bats ready in case a DD is called these clowns will need to be clubbed and put away. Deceitful to the hilt starting with budget emergency and then going after the most vulnerable. Ms Ferguson, my hats off to you for a brilliant interview in putting this cocky treasurer in the cowering state trying to protect his most vulnerable part of the anatomy.

13 May
An unprecedented $80 billion cut to health and education spending over the next decade leads a list of tough savings measures affecting age pensioners, seniors concession card holders, family payments and people on the disability support pension in the Abbott government's first budget.

14 May
Victorian doctors have slammed the new $7 co-payment for GP visits and medical tests and say they will fight hard to prevent Victorian hospitals from introducing similar fees for emergency department care.

14 May
Honest Joe has delivered a stunning first instalment. It's stunning because he has harnessed the power of compound indexation to restrain spending by more and more as each year goes by. It's the first instalment because his second, due within two years, will deal with tax.

14 May
Labor has accused the Abbott government of daring the states to push for an increase in the GST after Treasurer Joe Hockey revealed in the budget that the states would be stripped of billions of dollars of funding for health and education.